The present invention relates in general to the field of management of air quality in a vehicle, and more particularly, to an apparatus and associated method for improving the air quality in the vehicle.
The air quality in the vehicle concerns the health of a driver and/or passengers in the vehicle. Therefore, it is necessary to manage the air quality in the vehicle. In general, the exchange of the air happens quite fast. As a result, if the windows and/or doors of the vehicle are opened, the air quality inside the vehicle will rapidly change to the same air quality outside the vehicle.
In recent years, various solutions to manage the air quality in the vehicle have already been proposed. For example, an Automatic Air Recirculation (AAR) system is provided to protect the driver and/or passengers in the vehicle by preventing pollutants outside the vehicle from entering the vehicle. Specifically, the AAR system can obtain the information about concentrations of the gas outside the vehicle, e.g., carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and so on. If the obtained information indicates that the concentrations of the gas outside the vehicle are too high, the AAR system automatically switches to internal circulation for a time (closed mode). If the obtained information indicates that the concentrations of the gas outside the vehicle have decreased, the AAR system reintroduces the air into the vehicle from outside thereof (open mode).
Furthermore, in the modified AAR system, the air in the vehicle can be filtered by the existing vehicle filters in the closed mode as mentioned above. This can result in the further improved air quality when the AAR system runs in the closed mode.
In addition, the user may have the options to perform stand still climatization or heating by either programming it and setting the time manually in the head unit, or by using a remote control, or by using an Internet service.
Moreover, there is also a submission about the use of the Internet-based air quality measurements in the vehicle.
However, in the prior art, the management of the air quality (including the management of air temperature) in the vehicle is mainly performed after the driver and/or passengers enter the vehicle. This means that, in extreme conditions such as hot, cold, severely polluted conditions and so on, the first period of the driver and/or passengers in the vehicle is not an enjoyable experience because the smell, bad air quality and extreme temperature generate discomfort.
Furthermore, the method currently available to precondition the vehicle for the user always requires manual interaction of the user with the vehicle, and the user has to think about the manual interaction with the vehicle before entering the vehicle. As a result, the functions of preconditioning the vehicle are not used by the user very frequently, and the user may be confronted with bad air quality inside the vehicle when he/she arrives at the vehicle.
Moreover, the interior of the vehicle also produces pollutants such as formaldehyde from decorative materials, adhesive, seat cushions and so on. In particular, for a new vehicle, the interior thereof suffers uncomfortable odors.
However, no gas sensors are currently installed inside the vehicle. Thus, the AAR system in the prior art cannot detect the pollutants emitted by the interior of the vehicle, and thus cannot improve the internal air quality of the vehicle.
In addition, it is currently not possible to completely get air out of the vehicle because there is only a small hole in the truck of the vehicle for pressure exchange.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for improving the air quality in the vehicle that can address one or more of the above and other prior art problems.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method for improving air quality in a vehicle is provided, comprising: acquiring state information about the vehicle and/or environmental information of the vehicle; determining whether ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed according to the state information and/or the environmental information; deriving a time period for ventilation of the vehicle according to the state information and/or the environmental information if it is determined that the ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed; and performing the ventilation of the vehicle in open mode automatically for the derived time period so as to improve the air quality in the vehicle
In an example of the present embodiment, the state information about the vehicle may be an age of the vehicle.
In another example of the present embodiment, the step of determining comprises: determining the ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed if the age of the vehicle is within a predetermined range of ages.
In another example of the present embodiment, the step of deriving comprises: when the age of the vehicle is within the predetermined range of ages, the smaller the age of the vehicle is, the longer the time period for ventilation of the vehicle is.
In another example of the present embodiment, the state information about the vehicle may be an unused time that the vehicle is not used.
In another example of the present embodiment, the step of determining comprises: determining that ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed if the unused time exceeds a predetermined interval.
In another example of the present embodiment, the step of deriving comprises: when the unused time exceeds the predetermined interval, the longer the unused time is, the longer the time period for ventilation of the vehicle is.
In another example of the present embodiment, the environmental information may be prediction information regarding usage of the vehicle.
In another example of the present embodiment, the step of determining comprises: determining, with the prediction information, the time point at which the vehicle will be used; and determining that ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed a predetermined time length before the time point at which the vehicle will be used.
In another example of the present embodiment, the environmental information may be temperature and/or humidity of air.
In another example of the present embodiment, the step of determining comprises: determining that ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed if the temperature and/or the humidity is higher than a predetermined value.
In another example of the present embodiment, the step of deriving comprises: when the temperature and/or humidity is higher than the predetermined value, the longer the vehicle is exposed outdoor, the longer the time period for ventilation of the vehicle is.
In accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus of improving air quality in a vehicle is provided, comprising: an acquiring unit for acquiring state information about the vehicle and/or environmental information of the vehicle; a determining unit for determining whether ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed according to the state information and/or the environmental information; a deriving unit for deriving a time period for ventilation of the vehicle according to the state information and/or the environmental information if it is determined that the ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed; and a performing unit for performing the ventilation of the vehicle in open mode automatically for the derived time period so as to improve the air quality in the vehicle.
In an example of the present embodiment, the state information about the vehicle may be an age of the vehicle.
In another example of the present embodiment, the determining unit is further configured to: determine that ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed if the age of the vehicle is within a predetermined range of ages.
In another example of the present embodiment, the deriving unit is further configured that: when the age of vehicle is within the predetermined range of ages, the smaller the age of the vehicle is, the longer the time period for ventilation of the vehicle is.
In another example of the present embodiment, the state information about the vehicle may be an unused time that the vehicle is not used.
In another example of the present embodiment, the determining unit is further configured to: determine that ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed if the unused time exceeds a predetermined interval.
In another example of the present embodiment, the deriving unit is further configured that: when the unused time exceeds the predetermined interval, the longer the unused time is, the longer the time period for ventilation of the vehicle is.
In another example of the present embodiment, the environmental information may be prediction information regarding usage of the vehicle.
In another example of the present embodiment, the determining unit is further configured to: determine, with the prediction information, the time point at which the vehicle will be used; and determine that the ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed a predetermined time length before the time point at which the vehicle will be used.
In another example of the present embodiment, the environmental information may be temperature and/or humidity of air.
In another example of the present embodiment, the determining unit is further configured to: determine that ventilation of the vehicle is to be performed if the temperature and/or the humidity is higher than a predetermined value.
In another example of the present embodiment, the deriving unit is further configured that: when the temperature and/or humidity is higher than the predetermined value, the longer the vehicle is exposed outdoors, the longer the time period for ventilation of the vehicle is.
In accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable medium comprising executable instructions for carrying out a method for improving air quality in a vehicle according to any one of the previous embodiments.
The present invention can improve the air quality in the vehicle by utilizing the state information about the vehicle and/or environmental information of the vehicle before the user enters the vehicle, and thus provides the user with more comfort.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.